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By SRS
Posted to the web on September 7, 2009 |
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September 7, 2009 (Malakal) –– More than 25 people were killed and dozens injured in inter ethnic clashes in Upper Nile state on Friday morning.
The Upper Nile state cabinet confirmed on Sunday that at least 13 people were killed in Bony-Thiang, north east of Malakal town.
Upper Nile state deputy governor, Dok Jok Dok, told Sudan Radio Service in Malakal that armed men wearing military uniforms attacked and killed the chief of Bailiet, Thon Wayi Awien. Five members of his family were also killed in the attack.
[Dok Jol]: “The organized armed group looked like soldiers. The injured people managed to identify them and they said that they belonged to the SPLM-DC and they were shouting the name of the party and the chairman of the SPLM-DC.”
The spokesperson of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, Major General Kuol Diem Kuol, also accused the SPLM-DC of being responsible for the killings.
He claimed that Shilluk militia backed by the newly formed SPLM-DC attacked a Dinka settlement in Bony-Thiang, north of the state capital of Malakal early on Friday morning.
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-Democratic Change has denied allegations by the Sudan People’s Liberation Army that they were behind the killings.
Addressing a press conference in Khartoum on Saturday, the SPLM-DC chairman, Dr. Lam Akol said that the accusations were designed to damage the image of his party.
[Dr. Lam Akol]: “The allegations against our party are part of a campaign to distort the image of our party, It was reported in the newspapers and news agencies that our party has militias and that these militia forces were the ones that launched the attacks on areas west of Kodok in Upper Nile State. We would like to use this opportunity to clarify some facts here: first of all, our party is a political and democratic party. It does not have any means for its activities other than peaceful, constitutional and legal means and we don’t have militias of any kind. Secondly, the accusations being circulated against our party and the spokesperson who claims to be the official spokesperson of the SPLA wants to involve the SPLA in exacerbating our differences with the SPLM.”
Dr. Lam warned that his party will take legal measures against the SPLA if it doesn’t prove its allegations, and called for an investigation to be conducted by a “neutral body” in order to unveil the truth about the incident.
[Dr. Lam Akol]: “We would like to tell them that this allegation is a serious allegation and if they don’t have evidence, we will take legal measures against them because that was an attempt to tarnish our image. We don’t have any interest in creating instability in any area, we would like to send our condolences to the families of all those who have been killed because they are our citizens and we call for a neutral investigation to be conducted by a neutral body until we discover the truth about who is really responsible for this incident."
In an interview with Sudan Radio Service on Monday from Khartoum, the SPLM secretary-general Pagan Amum claimed that the NCP is inciting the southern tribes against each other, to sabotage the referendum in 2011.
[Pagan Amum]: “Our information says that the NCP is plotting to create instability in southern Sudan, they are forming militias and distributing arms and encouraging the tribes to fight each other, not only in Upper Nile state, but also in Jonglei state and in some other states in southern Sudan. This is one of their plots to create insecurity situation in order to make southern Sudanese miss the opportunity of having the right to vote for self-determination in 2011.”
Pagan claimed that his party has evidence that the NCP is arming the militias in southern Sudan.
[Pagan Amum]: “It is known where the militias are, the militias of Tanginye, the militias which Dr. Lam Akol is forming now, and the militias which are composed of a group of Dinkas in Upper Nile state and a group of Nuer, and the Murle. It is known to everybody that this riot is caused by the NCP. Yes, we have evidence and we know there is a plan by the NCP to destabilize security in the south, using some weak elements and they are known to us.”
On Wednesday last week, speaking at a press conference on in Khartoum, Pagan Amum accused the NCP of fueling tribal conflicts in Upper Nile state and other regions in south Sudan in an attempt to disrupt the coming referendum.
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